


No good deed goes unpunished

by Ex-Genesis (orphan_account)



Category: Disney RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Fluff, M/M, Pre-Slash, hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-08-08
Updated: 2010-08-08
Packaged: 2017-11-13 19:42:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/507041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Ex-Genesis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Joe's haircut.</p>
            </blockquote>





	No good deed goes unpunished

"You should let your hair air dry today."  
  
Sometimes Joe wonders if it's girly to use face lotion, but he doesn't think anyone but his brothers can tell, and they already make fun of him for other things. Like the blow drying and hair-straightening. Kevin's mockery is harmless though, essentially making fun of himself because if Joe remembers correctly, it's Kevin's flat iron he's actually using - for a whole year Kevin used it. Also, Nick doesn't have a lot of room to make fun of him either, he's the one who does ridiculous things to his eyebrows. It looks like it hurts, and Joe's only ever burned himself once. So, their back-and-forth is just a way to keep the other grounded. They're incredibly good-looking if Joe can say so, and he does every opportunity he gets.  
  
Rubbing the white cream into the sides of his nose, Joe doesn't realize how his eyebrows are raised, nostrils thinned as his upper lip pushes down his lower. Nick laughs at him from his side. "Did you even hear me?" Joe shrugs, but how could he not hear? "You should let your hair air dry today Joe. Like." Joe waits for the what that goes along with the like, but it doesn't come, so when he's finished massaging the lotion into his skin, he lets his eyes dart to Nick in the mirror. His little brother is just looking down at the sink, reorganizing his kit even though he doesn't need to.  
  
"Every time you open that, the needles are all over the place anyway. Besides, as long as your test strips stay in that little film case or whatever, you're good right?" he asks, looking down at the kit himself. Nick's hands slip from the inside to flip the cover over, zipping up the red case, gray zippers in each thumb and index finger, meeting in the middle. Elbowing Nick gently, and receiving a shoulder in return, Joe washes his hands before he starts digging into his hair, moving strands around to figure out if he'd like to do something different today. He never does, is the thing, but more often then not he plays with it for ten minutes before actually deciding. "You like it wavy?" He smiles when Nick shrugs, but he's fiddling with the zippers still so that means yes.  
  
As Nick bends to put his kit back under the sink, Joe reaches his hand out and Nick rolls his eyes as he hands him the hair gel. "For you Nick, I will forget my most honorable servant, Hair Dryer, and knight Straightener."  
  
"You're an idiot. And you don't have to. It just looks good and you never let anyone at school see it. I mean, you barely even let it be on the days we  _won't_  be seeing anyone we know."  
  
Laughing, Joe's eyes are bright when he actually looks at Nick, who's all dressed in a polo shirt and dark jeans. Joe prefers looser shirts honestly, but polos look good on Nick. At least... they'll be something Nick can feel comfortable in until he fills out more. He and Joe are almost the same size though, but Nick's already got these foretelling muscles. Joe doesn't know what to expect exactly, but he's pretty sure he'll be given a run for his money.  
  
"Nick, I already said I would." His smile becomes a little more unsure when Nick doesn't look directly at him after that, even though it'd be easier.  
  
"Want me to get Kevin to help you?" So yeah, Joe's had a problem in the past with putting in too much gel and making his hair stiff enough to poke someone, but he's gotten better since. Kevin literally hasn't had to help him with his hair in a year and a half. Not that it wouldn't give Kevin a little self-satisfaction. His choice or not,  _saving money_  or not, it can't feel very good to be stuck at home for the second year in a row while attending community college, and he may even just make the commute to the University when he transfers.  
  
"Ha, you're funny Nicholas," Joe says, noting Nick's smirk and how it's unusually crooked on his face. He fluffs Nick's curls, rather than giving him a nougie, but still his brother doesn't appreciate it. Whining, Nick pulls away before fixing the curls that weren't even misplaced. It only takes a second of watching Nick in the mirror before it clicks into his head. "Thanks dude," Joe tells him, sincerity in his tone.  
  


"Hm?" Nick asks, biting his lip as he finally brings his hands down, fingers turning the ring on his finger. Then adjusting his dog tags so that the clip is at the back of his neck, cold now against his skin where the air cooled it.

Joe rolls his eyes as he answers. Either Nick is a genius at reeling, or he's just too into his own head to remember topics from a minute earlier. "For the compliment, bro? I didn't realized you liked my hair better that way." Maybe he would have done it that way more often if he had.  
  
"Oh," Nick says, smiling for real, not that put-on smirk of his. "Not better, though. Just..." Joe decides Nick must have some deep feelings about his hair if he keeps quitting just like that. Maybe.  
  
Actual concern creasing his brow, Joe turns again, this time full body, resting his hip against the counter. "You okay Nicky?" Nick punches his shoulder at the nickname; Joe can barely feel it.  
  
"'m fine," Nick tells him. And he sounds pretty sure of himself, but there's a dusting of pink across his cheeks, and his tongue darts out to wet his lips.  
  
"Uh-huh..." Joe says incredulously. "Alright, whatever. Now you have to give me a hug before you can leave the room." Instantly Nick gets this sort of competitive look in his eye, soft, ready to play the game. He ducks to one side, but their bathroom is small, and Joe spans his body out in front of the bathroom door. "Uh-uh. You have to pay the toll, or we ditch first hour and get grounded. Hugs, or being grounded?" Nick seems to be mulling this over not exactly in a game stance anymore, just considering the actual repercussions if Joe were to actually go through with it. "Is it really that tough of a choice?" He tries his best to sound offended, Nick's eyes even dart to his quickly to make sure, but once he's assessed that his older brother isn't genuinely hurt, Nick shakes his head.  
  
"Yeah, well I wouldn't want to be forced to stay in the house with you so..." He moves to give Joe a quick hug, arms around Joe's middle half-heartedly, but Joe gets a hold of him too quickly, and when Nick giggles into his neck, Joe smiles beside Nick's ear.


End file.
